Legislation facts for kids
Legislation means the official rules and laws that a country or government creates. Think of them as the important rules that everyone in a country needs to follow. These rules are made by a special group of people, often called a legislature, like a Parliament or Congress.
Before a new rule becomes a law, it's usually called a bill. A bill is like a proposed idea for a law. It gets discussed and changed until it's ready to become a real law. Once it's approved, it becomes official legislation.
How Laws Are Made
Laws are usually suggested by a member of the legislature, like a Member of Parliament or a Congressperson. Sometimes, the country's leader or their team (the executive branch) also suggests new laws.
Once an idea for a law is suggested, it is debated and discussed by the people in the legislature. They might change parts of the bill to make it better. After it's agreed upon, it goes through a final approval process to become a law.
The people who have the power to create these laws are called legislators. Another part of the government, the judiciary (which includes judges and courts), has the job of explaining what these laws mean.
Other Ways Laws Can Be Made
Making laws is mostly the job of the legislature. This idea is part of something called the "separation of powers". This means different parts of the government have different jobs. For example, one part makes laws, another carries them out, and another interprets them.
However, sometimes laws are made in other ways, especially very important laws like a country's main rulebook (its Constitution). Here are a few examples:
- Referendums: Sometimes, citizens get to vote directly on a proposed law. This is like asking everyone in the country to decide if a new rule should be made.
- Constitutional Conventions: These are special meetings where people come together to create or change a country's main set of rules, its Constitution.
While these methods also create laws, the term "legislation" usually refers to laws made by the legislature.
Related pages
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See also
In Spanish: Legislación para niños
